Published: Monday, November 12, 2012 at 11:31 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 12, 2012 at 11:31 a.m.

When Sgt. Todd Prevost is riding a bicycle as part of his job with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office, he said he's treated with respect on the road.

Cars slow down, and drivers are courteous.

However, when he's cycling for pleasure and not in uniform, it's a different story.

That's when he hears honking horns, drivers yelling and sees “the fingers flying,” he said. “People are courteous to the law,” but not so much to a cyclist who is riding in the traffic lane and may be slowing down motorists. With higher gas prices and a slowly recovering economy, there may be more people riding bikes. And in Louisiana last year, 16 bicycle riders were killed, a 45 percent increase, said John LeBlanc, executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

Many motorists may not know the traffic laws pertaining to cyclists.

“Most cyclists are aware that they have a right to use the road,” Prevost said, but some drivers are not.

Any vehicle, including two-wheeled ones, have the right to use public roadways, said Douglas Foreman, supervisor of the Traffic Section in the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office. He added that any individual on the road has to abide by the traffic laws and should use signals to alert others if they are going to turn or stop.

What else drivers may not know, said Houma Police Chief Todd Duplantis, is there is a state law that prohibits drivers from heckling, taunting or throwing objects at cyclists. Duplantis said his office gets more complaints about people on off-road vehicles, such as four wheelers or golf carts, than it does about bicyclists.

Foreman, who calls himself an “addicted” cyclist, knows all too well what can happen when the rules of the road aren't followed and when a driver may not see a cyclist. He's been involved in two bicycle-automobile accidents in the last seven years. In both instances, he said, the drivers simply didn't see him.

That's a common problem on the road, Foreman said, because he thinks most drivers in this area are not expecting to see bicycles on the road. They are looking for other cars or trucks.

“A lot of damage can be done if a vehicle strikes a cyclist — it becomes a case of flesh and bone against steel and glass,” said Thibodaux Police Chief Scott Silverii, who introduced Foreman to cycling.

Foreman suffered broken bones and recovered from his injuries, but this past summer, 22-year-old Ethen Miller of Thibodaux was killed in a bicycle-vehicle collision on La. 308. In that case, State Trooper Evan Harrell said, alcohol was involved, and the accident happened around midnight.

Impaired driving continues to be a problem, Harrell said, and although cyclists can't be charged with driving while intoxicated or under the influence, they can be charged with public intoxication if they are found to be above the legal limit.

In the Thibodaux case, the driver of the vehicle was arrested on charges of vehicular homicide, hit and run and improper lane usage. The victim was not wearing a helmet.

Prevost said law enforcement officers can ticket a cyclist who is riding illegally or recklessly.

“Most of the time,” he said, “we don't give citations but try to inform the cyclist of the law and the risks they are taking by not following the laws of the road.”

Foreman said cyclists should take every precaution, which includes following the traffic signs. And they should wear brightly colored clothing and make sure the bike has a visible head lamp, which is required by law if the bike is used at night.

Drivers seem to think cyclists should yield to traffic because bicycles should be easy to stop, Silverii said. That's not necessarily true, he said, because a bicycle is being held up by two thin strips of rubber, and cyclists can be traveling faster than drivers realize.

Drivers often turn in front of a bicycle, but it's unrealistic for a driver to assume a cyclist will yield to traffic.

The most important thing for cyclists and motorists alike, Silverii said, is for everyone to be aware of what's going on around them. He advises cyclists to make eye contact with drivers whenever possible, to make sure they are seen. Many vehicle-bicycle accidents happen when drivers are turning left and don't necessarily look right, Duplantis said.

Silverii said it doesn't matter if it's a 5-year-old child on a bike with training wheels or an experienced cyclist on a $1,000 bike, awareness is crucial.

Duplantis said the helmet is key. While state law requires only children up to age 12 to wear a helmet, it's advisable for every cyclist to wear one, and it must be the kind of helmet made for cyclists.

Brennan Matherne, a deputy with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office, said even children who may be riding their bikes in their neighborhoods have to wear a helmet by law.

“It's the parents' responsibility to make sure children have and wear the proper helmet,” Duplantis said.

Harrell said the most common issue with bicycle-vehicle accidents is cyclists who illegally ride against traffic. State law requires those on bicycles to travel in the same direction as traffic and to obey all traffic laws. Accidents happen when people aren't paying attention, he said.

On Facebook, cyclist Jeramy Carroll wrote that he rides his bicycle “as near to the curb” as he can to give traffic enough room to pass.

A little-known state law says a cyclist can't “impede” the flow of traffic. “In other words, a cyclist can't create a traffic jam,” Duplantis said.

Silverii said he doesn't believe the relationship between motorists and cyclists should be an adversarial one. “All it takes is awareness and a little common sense.”

He said his office has not gotten many complaints about people riding bicycles in the city. He said he knows of no reports where cyclists have been harassed or purposely run off the road.

Riding in a city is different, he said, because if there are no bike lanes, the cyclists have to share the road with motor vehicles or ride on the shoulder, if there is a shoulder.

For those who ride for transportation, the choice of where and when to ride may not be so easy.

Silverii said a bicycle is the only means of transportation for some people, and their reasons for being on the road may not be recreational.

Celeste Orgeron said on Facebook that “not everyone can afford $3+ a gallon for gas so people are being conservative. If more people rode their bikes to work, we'd actually see fuel prices go down because the demand would decrease.”

Monique Crochet, of the Thibodaux mayor's office, said the City Council often gets requests for designated bike lanes.

Willie Bolden, president of the Bayou Country Cycling Club, said his group is doing the asking. Every Wednesday Bolden and other members of his club ride about 22 miles through a subdivision off La. 311 in Schriever. The cyclists said they like that setting because there is little traffic and they can ride about nine miles without encountering a stop sign.

“It's safer through the neighborhood because the traffic is light on the streets. The residents are used to seeing us, and they are real nice,” Bolden said.

Most of the time, Bolden said there are no problems, except for the occasional motorist who might drive too close to a cyclist. It's important for motorists to know state law requires them to pass at least three feet away from a bicycle, if at all possible.

Later this year, Terrebonne Parish will have a circular bike trail and a BMX bike park. But “neither of these will help those who use a bike to get to work,” said Terrebonne Planning Director Pat Gordon, “unless they happen to work and live along the circular path. It's really being designed for recreational cycling.”

In Terrebonne Parish, he said they prefer not to see bicycle riders so much in the city because it's congested, and with large vehicles, the streets may be difficult to navigate on a bicycle.

“It's easy for cars and bikes to share the road, but with 18-wheelers, it's not such a good fit,” he said.

<p>When Sgt. Todd Prevost is riding a bicycle as part of his job with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office, he said he's treated with respect on the road. </p><p>Cars slow down, and drivers are courteous. </p><p>However, when he's cycling for pleasure and not in uniform, it's a different story. </p><p>That's when he hears honking horns, drivers yelling and sees “the fingers flying,” he said. “People are courteous to the law,” but not so much to a cyclist who is riding in the traffic lane and may be slowing down motorists. With higher gas prices and a slowly recovering economy, there may be more people riding bikes. And in Louisiana last year, 16 bicycle riders were killed, a 45 percent increase, said John LeBlanc, executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.</p><p>Many motorists may not know the traffic laws pertaining to cyclists. </p><p>“Most cyclists are aware that they have a right to use the road,” Prevost said, but some drivers are not. </p><p>Any vehicle, including two-wheeled ones, have the right to use public roadways, said Douglas Foreman, supervisor of the Traffic Section in the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office. He added that any individual on the road has to abide by the traffic laws and should use signals to alert others if they are going to turn or stop. </p><p>What else drivers may not know, said Houma Police Chief Todd Duplantis, is there is a state law that prohibits drivers from heckling, taunting or throwing objects at cyclists. Duplantis said his office gets more complaints about people on off-road vehicles, such as four wheelers or golf carts, than it does about bicyclists. </p><p>Foreman, who calls himself an “addicted” cyclist, knows all too well what can happen when the rules of the road aren't followed and when a driver may not see a cyclist. He's been involved in two bicycle-automobile accidents in the last seven years. In both instances, he said, the drivers simply didn't see him. </p><p>That's a common problem on the road, Foreman said, because he thinks most drivers in this area are not expecting to see bicycles on the road. They are looking for other cars or trucks. </p><p>“A lot of damage can be done if a vehicle strikes a cyclist — it becomes a case of flesh and bone against steel and glass,” said Thibodaux Police Chief Scott Silverii, who introduced Foreman to cycling.</p><p>Foreman suffered broken bones and recovered from his injuries, but this past summer, 22-year-old Ethen Miller of Thibodaux was killed in a bicycle-vehicle collision on La. 308. In that case, State Trooper Evan Harrell said, alcohol was involved, and the accident happened around midnight.</p><p>Impaired driving continues to be a problem, Harrell said, and although cyclists can't be charged with driving while intoxicated or under the influence, they can be charged with public intoxication if they are found to be above the legal limit. </p><p>In the Thibodaux case, the driver of the vehicle was arrested on charges of vehicular homicide, hit and run and improper lane usage. The victim was not wearing a helmet. </p><p>Prevost said law enforcement officers can ticket a cyclist who is riding illegally or recklessly. </p><p>“Most of the time,” he said, “we don't give citations but try to inform the cyclist of the law and the risks they are taking by not following the laws of the road.” </p><p>Foreman said cyclists should take every precaution, which includes following the traffic signs. And they should wear brightly colored clothing and make sure the bike has a visible head lamp, which is required by law if the bike is used at night. </p><p>Drivers seem to think cyclists should yield to traffic because bicycles should be easy to stop, Silverii said. That's not necessarily true, he said, because a bicycle is being held up by two thin strips of rubber, and cyclists can be traveling faster than drivers realize. </p><p> Drivers often turn in front of a bicycle, but it's unrealistic for a driver to assume a cyclist will yield to traffic. </p><p>The most important thing for cyclists and motorists alike, Silverii said, is for everyone to be aware of what's going on around them. He advises cyclists to make eye contact with drivers whenever possible, to make sure they are seen. Many vehicle-bicycle accidents happen when drivers are turning left and don't necessarily look right, Duplantis said. </p><p>Silverii said it doesn't matter if it's a 5-year-old child on a bike with training wheels or an experienced cyclist on a $1,000 bike, awareness is crucial. </p><p>Duplantis said the helmet is key. While state law requires only children up to age 12 to wear a helmet, it's advisable for every cyclist to wear one, and it must be the kind of helmet made for cyclists. </p><p>Brennan Matherne, a deputy with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office, said even children who may be riding their bikes in their neighborhoods have to wear a helmet by law. </p><p>“It's the parents' responsibility to make sure children have and wear the proper helmet,” Duplantis said. </p><p>Harrell said the most common issue with bicycle-vehicle accidents is cyclists who illegally ride against traffic. State law requires those on bicycles to travel in the same direction as traffic and to obey all traffic laws. Accidents happen when people aren't paying attention, he said. </p><p>On Facebook, cyclist Jeramy Carroll wrote that he rides his bicycle “as near to the curb” as he can to give traffic enough room to pass.</p><p> A little-known state law says a cyclist can't “impede” the flow of traffic. “In other words, a cyclist can't create a traffic jam,” Duplantis said. </p><p>Silverii said he doesn't believe the relationship between motorists and cyclists should be an adversarial one. “All it takes is awareness and a little common sense.” </p><p>He said his office has not gotten many complaints about people riding bicycles in the city. He said he knows of no reports where cyclists have been harassed or purposely run off the road.</p><p>Riding in a city is different, he said, because if there are no bike lanes, the cyclists have to share the road with motor vehicles or ride on the shoulder, if there is a shoulder. </p><p>For those who ride for transportation, the choice of where and when to ride may not be so easy. </p><p>Silverii said a bicycle is the only means of transportation for some people, and their reasons for being on the road may not be recreational. </p><p>Celeste Orgeron said on Facebook that “not everyone can afford $3+ a gallon for gas so people are being conservative. If more people rode their bikes to work, we'd actually see fuel prices go down because the demand would decrease.” </p><p>Monique Crochet, of the Thibodaux mayor's office, said the City Council often gets requests for designated bike lanes. </p><p>Willie Bolden, president of the Bayou Country Cycling Club, said his group is doing the asking. Every Wednesday Bolden and other members of his club ride about 22 miles through a subdivision off La. 311 in Schriever. The cyclists said they like that setting because there is little traffic and they can ride about nine miles without encountering a stop sign. </p><p>“It's safer through the neighborhood because the traffic is light on the streets. The residents are used to seeing us, and they are real nice,” Bolden said. </p><p>Most of the time, Bolden said there are no problems, except for the occasional motorist who might drive too close to a cyclist. It's important for motorists to know state law requires them to pass at least three feet away from a bicycle, if at all possible. </p><p>Later this year, Terrebonne Parish will have a circular bike trail and a BMX bike park. But “neither of these will help those who use a bike to get to work,” said Terrebonne Planning Director Pat Gordon, “unless they happen to work and live along the circular path. It's really being designed for recreational cycling.” </p><p>In Terrebonne Parish, he said they prefer not to see bicycle riders so much in the city because it's congested, and with large vehicles, the streets may be difficult to navigate on a bicycle. </p><p>“It's easy for cars and bikes to share the road, but with 18-wheelers, it's not such a good fit,” he said.</p>